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Religion
Religion in Azeroth differs amongst the various people and cultures of the world. While some religions are dominant over the other and some share many traits but differ at certain parts, the various bodies of faith help bind the peoples of Azeroth together. It is not uncommon in Azeroth for societies to worship multiple religions at the same time, and not all religions are seen as benevolent. Known Religions 'Feel free to add any missing religions here.' =Holy Light= A benevolent, omnipotent force that permeates all living creatures, the humans of Azeroth have long worshiped the Light almost as a sort of deity (despite its immaterial form). Their priests have been known to preform miracles using the light and the Light has inspired many political, military and cultural groups---even within the Horde. Multiple churches, doctrines and organizations are based around this faith and some even have their own, autonomous clerical bodies. Church of the Holy Light Led by the Archbishop. The Church of the Holy Light is the dominant religion in Human and Dwarf societies with a strong international presence in the Eastern Kingdoms and beyond. A large land-owner in the East, the Church has come into a place a lofty moral authority in the historical kingdoms of the Alliance. Empowered by the Holy Light and governed by the Council of Bishops, the Church's several hundred thousand members are protected by the mighty Order of the Silver Hand. The Church of the Holy Light often takes a hard-line stance on philosophical issues and has a strong historical affiliation with the Alliance. Orthodox Church of the North Led by Bishops Gavriel Branas and Rennali Analisa Sunwhisper. The Orthodox Church of the North, otherwise known as the Northern Orthodox Church, is a relatively new Light-based organization and theology. It is based upon strict adherence to the traditions set by Lord Uther the Lightbringer and Archbishop Alonsus Faol---rarely (if ever) changing or adding onto the existing doctrine. Arguably, the Church was created during the service of Rennali Sunwhisper as Bishop-Emeritus of the Church of the Holy Light, but had gained far more followers and began openly declaring itself the "right" or "orthodox" faith after the excommunication of Rennali, Gavriel, Luther Alburton and Lutharias Riverwind within the Bull of Excommunication (10/27/13); this act of the Council of Bishops prompted Bishop Branas to write the Enunciation of Orthodoxy in protest, criticizing the actions of the Southern Church. Draenic Light Led by the Prophet Velen. Among the ancient and (unwittingly) galaxy-traversing Draenei Race, there are some similar concepts to the Alliance Church of the Holy Light and other concepts highly different---if not, foreign to their neighboring races. While the subject of Naaru "divinity" is often speculated by Non-Draenei, the crystalline beings are revered as teachers and even prophets. While the immortal Prophet Velen leads the Exodar's faithful and has been known to teach others, such as Lady Liadrin of the Blood Knights, there is no formal organization outside of regional priesthoods---such as the Aldor of Shattrath City. Velen is seen, however, as a leader of this religion to all walks of the draenic people who can trace their survival back to his, and the Naaru's, message. =Elune= Led by High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind. Elunite worship, also known as the Cult of Elune, is the dominant religion in Night Elven society. Worship of Elune focuses around the namesake, the moon goddess Elune who has aided the Night elves several times throughout history, most importantly during the War of the Ancients. Elune exists as an oddity of a proven deity that watches over the night elven people, and through the high priestess she delivers her blessings to her chosen people. Elunite Worship is shared in tandem with that of the druidic ancient worship, as the two are intertwined and accepted in Night elf society. It is not uncommon for a night elf to worship both Elune and the Ancients, though some favor one over the other, particularly amongst the druids. =Old Ways= No formal leader. The Old Ways refer to the older religion of humans that worshiped nature and the spirits of the forest. Though it has mostly been replaced by Light worship in many of the human kingdoms, it survives in the Kingdom of Gilneas and is speculated to survive in the marshes of the Kingdom of Kul Tiras and recently, seeming to resurface within the Kingdom of Alterac. Though there is evidence supporting different regions worship different spirits, the Old Ways is a pagan religion that ultimately opened the gate way for proto-druidism within human society. Similar to Elunite Worship and the druidic ancient worship being in tandem, in Gilneas it was not uncommon amongst the agrarian folk to worship both the spirits of the forest and the light. As of recent days, Old Ways followers have also invested in researching ancient worship, particularly the ancient Goldrinn. There are still several clans of pagans that exist within the marshes of Kul Tiras and in Gilneas, though they are mostly isolated to themselves and some are reportedly hostile. The Galuyn of the Ashen Coast are one such group, with the Wickers being one such clan. In the case of Alterac, the numbers of believers grow---yet remain self-isolating and inconspicuous, save for a few outspoken Nobles. =The Pantheon of Titans= No Formal Leader. The Pantheon or Titan Worship is one of the oldest religions on Azeroth and is slowly returning to becoming one of the dominating religions in Dwarven society ever since evidence of their history as the Earthen has surfaced. Titan worship follows the veneration of the Pantheon of Titans, being the divine beings that shaped and created Azeroth and fought against the Old Gods for dominance. The Pantheon consists of the Titans: Aman'Thul the HIghfather of the Pantheon, Eonar- Matron of All Life, Norgannon- Lorekeeper and Master-Magician, Golganneth- The Thunderer, Khaz'Goroth- Shaper and Forger of the World, and Aggramar- The Avenger. Sargeras was once included amongst this pantheon though he was later removed following his corruption and his turn into the leader of the Burning Legion. It is not uncommon in Dwarven society to worship both the Pantheon and the Titans, though many argue the Titans created the light and should be worshiped alone. Ancestor veneration is also common in this religion. =Elemental Worship= No Formal Leader. Elemental worship or spiritual worship is the dominant religion in Orc and Wild Dwarf society, while also being prevalent in Troll, Tauren, Draenei and even Goblin society. Elemental worship worships the spirits of the elements, being the aspects of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. These four aspects and those they make when combined are revered by these shamanistic people and many see them as guardians to protect their lands. Some have taken worship of the elements a step forward and worship the elemental lords, though they are typically amongst the Twilight Cult. In Troll and Tauren society, the Loa and the Earthmother are shared in reverence with the elements. In Draenei society, the Elements are commonly only worshiped amongst the Broken, though it is slowly entering into reverence amongst the uncorrupted. Shamans of all societies are commonly found with some tie to the Earthen Ring, a group of elemental worshipers who seek to see the world protected. =The Earthmother and the Sky Father= No Formal Leader. The Earthmother is the dominant deity in Tauren society. Similar to Elune, she is seen as a benevolent force that watches over her chosen people, the Shu'halo (tauren). The Earthmother is seen as an all knowing all guiding spirit that has blessed the Tauren with their shamanistic powers and their druidic powers, and through her they have been able to persist and survive in a world that would see them driven extinct. The Earthmother is revered in song, dance and stories that tell of how she has protected the tauren. Part of this worship is the tale of An'she (the sun) and Mu'sha (the moon, also some have linked this to mean Elune) who are seen as the "eyes" of the Earthmother, eternally chasing each other to ease the other. An'she is known to bless the faithful known as "Sunwalkers" with its power. This power many have linked to be the Light, though the tauren attribute it to the Sun. However, in Tauren society the Sun's Light is shortened to the Light and is synonymous when referring to An'she's power. Little is known of the Sky Father, though he is apparently the Earthmother's divine partner that welcomes deceased Shu'halo into eternal paradise alongside himself and the Earthmother. =The Loa= No Formal Leader. The Loa are ancient guardian spirits of the world, similar in nature to the Ancients, that embody the primal elements of Azeroth or phases of life. Worshiped primarily by all Troll societies, the Loa make their homes amongst the Trolls and are seen as immortal. Their "children" are often animals such as Dragonhawks, Lynxes, Wind serpents and other such creatures that the trolls have made common companions. The "voodoo" is an extension of the loa's power and is seen as the magical force the trolls call upon to hex and smite their foes. Shadow Hunters, trolls who have braved the dens of loa power, are warriors blessed with their power and are strong avatars of the troll people. Shadow hunters are not however the only loa blessed in troll society, their priests are often able to call upon the power of the loa and many warriors have been able to be empowered and they are able to grant the faithful druidic powers. In times of desperation, it has been shown the Loa (obviously against their will) can be sacrificed and their power taken in by a host. As seen during the fall of Zul'aman, the trolls absorb the power of the loa, becoming near unstoppable forces of power. Not all Loa are seen as benevolent. The blood god Hakkar, an evil loa spirit, once threatened to destroy the world with his power. Loa's spirits, even if killed, persist on through death and they can be revived through various ceremonies. It is theorized the Loa may simply be ancients, as those of the Darkspear who have recently tapped into druidic power have noticed more and more similarities between them. However there are some spirits, such as Bwonsamdi the loa of death, who do not fit the same criteria. =The Ancients= No Formal Leader. The Ancients are, similar to the loa, ancient guardian spirits of the world that embody nature and the creatures of Azeroth. Primarily located on Kalimdor, these various spirits often take the form of an animal. Just with the loa, their "children" are seen as the animals they represent, such as Goldrinn with wolves or Malorne with the stag. Divine beings of ancient power, the Ancients are primarily worshiped by a mixture of races as a secondary religion, such as the night elves, tauren and more recently the Gilneans and trolls. Ancients cannot be killed, their spirits will persist and they will eventually reincarnate, though they can have their forms corrupted with parts of their power. This was seen primarily in Hyjal by the Twilight cult. =Cult of the Damned= Led by the Archlich Kel'thuzad. The Cult of the Damned is a religion created by the necromancer turned lich known as Kel'thuzad. Those of the cult worship death, undeath and at one point saw the Lich King as a god. While not dominant in any society in particular, the Cult is responsible for the destruction of the Kingdom of Lordaeron and though their numbers were decimated in the wake of the War against the Lich King, they still persist in some circles. =Old Gods= The Old Gods themselves, their prophets such as Cho'gall. Old Gods Worship, also known as the Twilight Cult, is a group of fanatical worshipers of the Old Gods of Azeroth, chaotic monstrous beings that seek to bring destruction and discord in their eternal war against one another. This religion is dominant in the bug like societies of the Mantid, who worship Y'sharrj, the Qiraji, who worship C'thun, formerly amongst the Nerubians who worshipped Yogg Saron, and has permeated nearly every single society on Azeroth. As such, it has one of the most diverse followings in existence, as those who are a part of the cult believe they will usher in a new world order under their dark masters and will be spared their wrath when they are reborn. Sects of the cult worship different aspects of the Old Gods, though it has been shown they will work together to see their masters reborn, despite the eternal war that they once waged. It is unknown what the Twilight Cultists expect to happen when the Old Gods are revived and the world is brought to its knees, as history only tells of eternal unending blood bath between their servants. Some suspect that is their desire in their twisted mentality as many twilight cultists are noted as being completely insane. =Deistic Monotheism= Fractious; multiple sects with multiple leaders. The worship of Deus, or God, is an old religion that once dominated parts of the Kingdom of Stromgarde, the Empire of Arathor, the Kingdom of Gilneas and survived to its most recent incarnation in the Kingdom of Azeroth by way of the Church of Northshire. Many find it akin to that of the Church of the Holy Light, as they share many doctrines in the Northshire version. It is commonly believed that this god blessed the humans with the powers of the light and it is the one that should be worshiped as a divine creature. No evidence of Deus exists - a statement much disputed by adherents to the various sects - as most older evidence later revealed to be the work of the Titans or other magical forces. As a result, Deus has mostly been replaced with Light worship, which worships the benevolent force formerly attributed as "Deus' gift" to humanity. Deus worship still persists in isolated pockets, usually with wildly differing beliefs and practices. The syncretic Reformed Church of Elwynn and Arathor is one of the largest - and newest - Deist groups, but is broadly disliked by the bulk of traditionalist, non-syncretic Deist sects. =Church of Glimmer= Unknown leader. The Church of Glimmer is a more recent religion that is beginning to surface amongst the Goblin people. Though many see it as a marketing ploy, there are some who believe in its worth. Goblins have for the longest time essentially worshiped money and commerce and many see it as only fitting to make it an official religion. Glimmer proclaims to be that the "light and shine" of gold is what allows the Goblins to harness the powers of the light, and it is through Glimmer that the Goblins are able to be where they are. While there is no central organization bridging the various Cartels and cities of the Goblins' faithful, various enterprises and conglomerates have institutionalized collections, investments, indulgences and sending bills---to the point where Clerics of Glimmer are more synonymous with tax-collectors and traffic officers writing tickets than servants of the Light. One such Glimmer-based organization is Kezan Ministries, INC. and its subsidiaries, such as the Kezanite Church. =Cult of Belore= Unknown Leader. The Cult of Belore is a proclaimed long lived religion amongst the high and blood elves, though some argue it was always simply just the Holy Light. The cult takes much from the Church of the Holy Light's doctrines though it attributes the power of the light to the sun, similar to that of the Tauren and An'she. As such, the elves revere and worship the sun and its blessed light that watches over their people. =Sect of the Dragons= Uknown Leader. The Sect of the Dragons is a minor Night Elf religion that claims an unknown number of followers. It is uncommon for Night Elves to be devout followers of the dragons, but several elder Kaldorei and surviving Highborne of the Shen'dralar are known to keep a variable set of traditions which involve veneration of dragons and dragonkin. The religion is also practiced by Dragonspawn and lesser dragonkin. The clerical hierarchy of the sect is simply divided into three subsects: Sect of the Elements, Sect of Healing, and the Sect of War. =Cult of the Forgotten Shadow= Unknown Leader. The Cult of the Forgotten Shadow is an older religion that has begun to dominate Forsaken society as they believe the light has abandoned their people. Similar to the Church of the Holy Light, the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow reveres the Shadow, which is seen as an omnipotent force that guides the damned and lost souls that have been cursed with Undeath. Through the shadow, the Undead are able to mend their people and smite their foes. It is seen as the antithesis to the Holy Light and those who worship it are often branded as heretics amongst Human society. While the Cult is the most populous and most influential faith of the Forsaken, there are small vestiges of the Light-faithful who participate in or simply respect Cult practices. Bishop Pelaios Silvertongue of the Undercity Nexus is a known advocate of equality between Shadow and Light, however some Shadowmancers within the Alliance continue to protest and advocate the same. Some Forsaken identify with both Shadow and Light, thus (possibly) creating spiritual diffusion and inaccurate census data. =Infernalism= Led by Sargeras. Infernalism, or demonic worship, is worship of creatures known as Demons and Sargeras. It only dominates demonic society, though it has worshipers from nearly all races on Azeroth. Seen as heresy and unholy by most religions on Azeroth, those who worship demons are often warlocks or found in the employ of the Burning Legion. They are as such often empowered by their demonic masters with fel magic, and those who follow this religion are often dedicated to seeing Azeroth destroyed under the Burning Crusade. Category:Religion